Forest Knowledge Gateway
Forest restoration and integrative management.

European forests face growing pressures from climate change, biodiversity loss and changing societal demands. Integrative Forest Management (IFM) offers an approach that combines biodiversity conservation, climate adaptation and sustainable forest use. But are future forestry professionals adequately prepared?

A survey of forestry educators across 31 European countries found that IFM principles are increasingly reflected in higher education, often integrated into existing courses rather than taught as a dedicated subject. Key priorities include natural regeneration, site-adapted tree species, structurally diverse forests, and the retention of habitat trees and deadwood.

However, important competency gaps remain. Beyond ecological expertise, future foresters need resilience thinking, systems thinking, creativity, teamwork and communication skills to address complex challenges and collaborate across disciplines.

The study highlights opportunities to strengthen forestry education by integrating IFM into existing curricula, expanding specialised training and promoting international exchange. Equipping future professionals with both technical knowledge and collaborative problem-solving skills is essential for building resilient, biodiverse and multifunctional forests.

Habitat trees are retained in managed forests to provide important habitats and enhance biodiversity. This new study examines how habitat tree retention affects the height, basal area and species composition of advance regeneration in continuous-cover forests, which is important for managers aiming to balance biodiversity conservation and timber production objectives.

This report presents the educational concept developed under the MOSAIC project to support training in adaptive management of protective forests in the Alpine region. The concept combines Forest Living Labs, marteloscope training plots and the I+Trainer digital application to help forestry professionals assess and improve forest resilience to climate-related hazards. It introduces key indicators and indexes for evaluating protective functions against rockfall, avalanches, landslides and erosion, while providing practical silvicultural and biotechnical management measures. The document also outlines a training curriculum based on field exercises, simulations and collaborative learning, offering a practical framework for capacity building and climate-resilient protective forest management.